The Dentist
by Gumnut
Summary: Virgil hated the dentist. Spoilers for season 3.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Dentist

Author: Gumnut

15 - 25 Jan 2020

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015

Rating: Teen

Summary: Virgil hated the dentist.

Word count: ~13,500 in 15 chapters

Spoilers & warnings: Contains some quite touchy subjects including child abuse, mental illness, phobias and nasty dentists - please do not read if you feel uncomfortable with these subjects.

Author's note: For shirubie for having the original idea of '_Maybe Virgil breaks a tooth and the others have to drag him to the dentist.'_

This fic started as many of mine do as a quick little thing while I was writing another much larger fic. It got out of control and decided it wanted to be a big fic, too. However, I could only cater to it by writing it in short spurts, so many of the chapters are rather small. It is complete, but I need to proof it before archiving as it was very hurriedly written. Chapters will appear as I get a chance to work through them.

Many thanks to the wonderful TAG fans on Tumblr for all their amazing encouragement and support. I couldn't have written this or any of my other fics without your cheerleading. I hope you enjoy it :D

Disclaimer: Mine? You've got to be kidding. Money? Don't have any, don't bother.

-o-o-o-

"C'mon, Virg. We'll just get it over and done with."

"Nawh!"

"It will be quick. You won't even notice."

"Nawh!"

Scott sighed. "Then how do you expect to be able to go on rescues? You're a mess!"

"Awm fime!"

"You are not fine!" Virgil was being an idiot. The man stood staring into his bathroom mirror poking at his left cheek which was swelling just nicely along with his upper lip. There was a possibility of a black eye in his future.

But none of that was the problem, more par of the course, which was a thought that was rather alarming in itself. When had facial bruising become a mild thing?

It was his brother's teeth he was more concerned about. There was blood in his grimace and the scanner reported damage to at least two incisors, one being chipped. A trip to the dentist was required.

Virgil hated the dentist.

With a passion equal to the one that drove him into the sky to save people.

"Nawh go'ng."

"You can't even speak properly!"

"Ill ge' beher."

"Virgil!"

His brother spun and fiery brown eyes, one more bloodshot than the other, glared daggers at him. "Nawh!"

"Fine." Scott grit his own teeth. "You're going to have to speak to Alan. You scared him silly."

"Wa' accihen'"

It took a moment to translate that. "Yeah, well, he's freaking out."

Virgil sighed.

And winced.

Shit.

"You need the dentist, Virgil." A worried frown. "Doctor Tippy is excellent. She's gentle, I promise."

"Nawh, Sco' p'ease." Those strong shoulders wilted. "Nawh."

Scott had no idea what it was about dentists that upset Virgil, but the man would do anything to avoid them. Probably a good explanation why his dental hygiene was so perfect - to avoid this very situation.

The thought that his brother might walk into a door hadn't been a consideration.

It had been a simple wrong place, wrong time scenario. Alan literally bounced everywhere and that included through doors. He'd swung the hallway door open just as Virgil was approaching on the other side.

The door had since been removed from its hinges...violently.

Alan was acting like he'd killed his brother and was currently hiding in his room.

Not unlike Virgil, really.

Sometimes being the eldest was hard work.

"You're off rescues for two days at least. There were no signs of concussion, but we're not risking it."

"Sco'!"

Virgil looked pathetic really, shoulders slumped in defeat, half his face puffed up. Maybe Grandma could get through his thick skull. Kayo? Maybe he should just tranq him and drag his ass to Wellington?

And yeah, that was a black eye forming. "Lie down, sleep it off and we will discuss this when you wake up." He took his brother by the arm and gently nudged him out of the bathroom and into his bedroom.

Virgil obviously still reluctant, complied. No doubt the man had a splitting headache. Scott found himself tucking his little brother into bed, ignoring the resultant frowning glare.

Scott sat in the old chair that used to belong to his mother at Grand Roca which Virgil had appropriated and flown out to the Island years ago, and waited for his brother to fall asleep.

Ten minutes and despite his stubborn streak, Virgil was snoring softly around his fat lip.

Scott slipped out of the room.

He thumbed his comms. "John, Gordon, I'm taking Tracy Two and going to Wellington."

"Scott?" His brothers' voices were harmonised concern.

"Virgil needs the dentist."

There was more than one way to get a brother the help he needed.

-o-o-o-


	2. Chapter 2

_Please read warnings and author notes in chapter 1._

-o-o-o-

His face hurt.

Virgil rolled over in bed and immediately regretted it as his left cheek bone and jaw spat profanities at him in the language of pain.

Ow, ow, ow!

A gasp and he rolled back onto his right side.

What the hell?

Pain was a great instigator of wakefulness as adrenalin coursed through his veins. This, of course, necessitated opening his eyes.

That turned out to be another mistake. His left eye seemed stuck and his right was blinded by the sunlight streaming through his open blinds.

He had no clue as to what time of the day it was other than it was sunny as his windows faced south.

He also had no clue why he could only see with one eye.

"Virgil?"

The voice was soft, but it startled him anyway. "Horhon?"

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

A gentle turn of his head and he found the blurry shape of his brother sitting beside his bed. "Wha' are you hoin' in here?" What the hell was wrong with his mouth?

"Just keeping an eye on you. Making sure you don't die in your sleep, that kind of thing."

Another attempt at a blink and this time he winced...which in turn stabbed his cheekbone. He sucked in a breath and air flowed over his teeth.

Ow, ow, ow, oh, god, that hurt!

He must have made some whimper of some kind because next he knew, Gordon had his hand on his arm. "Hey, calm and relaxed, bro."

"Wha' hammon'" Shit, couldn't he talk straight?

"You had an argument with a door. Don't you remember? You got your revenge, you tore it off the wall."

"I did?" But, yes, he did. The images came back, including the terrified expression on Alan's face. "Ahan?!"

"Yeah, he was the idiot, but I doubt he'll do it again since you went all hulk on him."

"'Ah!" He pushed himself upright and was immediately rewarded with a spinning room. "Uck."

"Well, that's a new variety of exclamations coming from you. How are you feeling?"

"Like 'hit."

"Hmm, that's exactly what happened, so that is to be expected."

"'Hut uh, Horhon."

"Wow, I have never heard my name pronounced quite that way, bro. I'm thinking I should be offended."

Virgil's reply to that was missing several important consonants, but its intent was entirely clear.

"Okay, lack of coffee is a problem, I see." A whir of hoverjets and Gordon backed up enough to give Virgil the room to swing his legs around and off the side of the bed. The room continued a lazy dance around his brain, but it slowed eventually and stayed mostly still as long as he didn't move too abruptly.

"C'mon, seriously, bro. Are you okay?"

Virgil gingerly touched his swollen and sore face. "'M fime." But he knew it was a lie. He could hardly speak, his mouth just hurt. There was the tang of iron and a tentative tongue found sensitive teeth with sharp edges and ow...so much ow.

"Would you like a drink of water?"

"Cohhee."

"Ah, I don't think you want to be putting something hot in your mouth right now, bro."

Damn it! Gordon was right. The thought was pain itself, much less the action.

Shit.

Maybe he could use a straw?

"And before you go all engineering on how to get coffee down your throat without hurting yourself, Grandma and Scott have banned you from coffee for at least today, possibly tomorrow."

"Wha-?"

"Hey, I'm just the messenger and perhaps a future refugee once you blow up the Island in your caffeine-withdrawal-fuelled rage. No blaming me for this one."

Gordon appeared to be honest and there was a hint of worry in those russet brown eyes.

Virgil sighed. He was being ridiculous. Gordon had more to worry about than Virgil's bruised ego. He was, after all, still recovering from a near death experience at the bottom of the ocean.

"How are you?" Fancy that, three whole words.

He got a frown for his question. "Me? I'm cruisin'. Got my exercises done early and ready to keep my fellow invalid company."

"No' inhalih."

"Fine. I'm here to keep my injured and grumpy big brother company. Is that clear enough for you?"

Okay. That was unexpected. He frowned and regretted it, but kept at it anyway. "You okay?"

"Augh, I'm fine, Virgil. Now would you like a drink of water? Or would you prefer to go downstairs?"

"Hown'hairs."

Gordon blinked at him. "You know, at any other time this would be extremely amusing."

"Hut uh."

"Uh huh. Anything you say, bro." The snicker was overt.

Seaweed. He was going to fill Gordon's bed with seaweed. Lots of that thick brown stuff from the other side of the island. Nice and juicy.

He pushed himself to his feet and there must have been something in his expression, because Gordon backed up rather abruptly and turned to lead them out of the bedroom.

Steadying himself, Virgil frowned and with a silent grunt, followed his little brother.

-o-o-o-


	3. Chapter 3

_Tiny bit of language in this bit._

-o-o-o-

It was odd to just feel pain in his face.

That thought in itself was a concern, but the randomness of an un-coffeed brain was to be expected. The whole left side of his skull ached and he regretted not taking the initiative to check himself out in the mirror before leaving his apartment.

Gordon hovered beside him, the chair's jets quiet in operation. Most of his brother's medical apparatus had been removed, but he still sported a neck brace and a light cast on one leg. He was supposed to have his arm in a sling, but Virgil had given up the nagging. He wasn't one for wasting his time and as long as Gordon didn't do anything stupid...an internal eyeroll, who was he kidding?

"How's your balance?" Gordon spun his chair around and backed into the elevator.

"Fime."

As if to make a fool of him, the elevator dropped out from under his feet and he stumbled.

Gordon reached out and grabbed him, his fingers catching in flannel. "You sure about that?"

He only acknowledged that with a grunt.

"Ookaay."

Did Gordon specialise in irritation?

The elevator opened into the Comms room and Virgil stepped out of the elevator with some relief, pulling away from Gordon's grasp. A couple of strides into the room and around the corner and...there was a stranger on the lounge.

Virgil froze. The whirr of aggravated hoverjets behind him as Gordon almost collided with his legs. "Virg, what the hell?"

"Who' 'hat?" Okay, not his most polite exclamation.

The woman...because it was a woman, dressed in practical tan slacks and a pale blue shirt, dark, shoulder length hair and glasses - blue and tan just did not go together and should not be worn at the same time...stood up, her eyes on him.

It wasn't until that moment that he realised Scott was also in the room. His brother also stood up, from behind their father's desk. He strode quickly in Virgil's direction, a half smile on his face. "Hey, Virgil, how are you feeling?"

Virgil eyed him like he was a snake about to strike. "'M fime. Who' 'hat?"

Scott dropped an arm around Virgil's shoulders in a very suspiciously calming way. "This is Eliza Tippy. Doctor Tippy, this is my brother, Virgil."

"'Ocher?"

"Liz! Hey, long time, no see." Gordon bounced in his chair and whizzed around his two older brothers and down the steps into the lounge. "Come to wrestle Virg into a dentist's chair?"

Scott groaned.

Doctor Tippy smiled fondly at the invalid aquanaut. "Gordon, as effervescent as always."

"I like being fizzy."

Dentist. The woman was a dentist. His brain caught up with the conversation and he took a step back.

"Nawh, Sco'!"

His big brother was dragged with him as he refused to give up the grip he had on his shoulders. "Virgil, you're in pain. You can hardly speak. You need to see a dentist!"

"Nawh 'uckin' 'enhist!"

So, his manners were horrendous, but his brother was right, he was in pain, he was denied coffee and now that brother was offering the ultimate betrayal.

"Mister Tracy." The doctor was walking up the steps from the lounge as if she was some oncoming fae out to leach the blood from his veins.

He pulled away, but Scott clung and hissed in his ear. "Liz, won't hurt you, Virgil."

"'Enhist!"

"Mister Tracy, you need help."

"Virg, what the hell?" Gordon's voice was sharp from down in the lounge. "Doc Liz is the coolest. She even offers sugar free lollypops."

Virgil stared at him before flicking his gaze back at the doctor. A glance at Scott and he shoved his arm off his shoulders, turned and stormed out of the room.

-o-o-o-


	4. Chapter 4

Alan Tracy had a secret spot.

While John had his observatory, Virgil liked to stand on beaches and Gordon was at home wherever there was ocean, Alan had his spot.

It was behind the house on the edge of the cliff. Right on the edge of the cliff. Scott's hair greying edge of the cliff. It was also hidden in a bunch of bushes, so it was also a great hiding spot away from annoying brothers.

From his vantage point he could see the entire house, all the balconies, the pool, the green and the cliffs below.

So, he easily saw Virgil storm out of the kitchen, across the patio, past the pool and around the edge of the caldera. A frown as his brother completely disappeared for a moment, only to emerge perched on the most precarious point above the cave that led to Thunderbird Four's launch bay.

His brother sat there staring out into the ocean.

Alan swallowed. He hadn't meant to hurt Virgil. The crack of wood on flesh and bone had been bad enough, but the howl of pain from his brother had been horrifying. He'd seen Virgil injured before, but he had never heard him make a sound quite like that.

There was a pause as his brother clutched at his face and Alan struggled with his own shock.

"Oh, hell, I'm sorry Virgil."

His brother looked up and a bright red welt ran from his left eyebrow down to his chin. There was blood on his lips and both eyes were full of tears.

"Shit." It was uttered with awe. "God, I'm so sorry." He reached out a hand, but his brother straightened, wobbling a little. He mumbled something, whatever it was rendered incomprehensible by a fast swelling lip.

Alan grabbed flannel shirt, his much bigger brother was swaying, but Virgil shook him off, clutched at his face again and groaned.

So, Alan called Scott.

Virgil was leaning on the wall as his big brother came running.

"What the hell?"

"It was an accident. I didn't see him."

Blue eyes frowned at him a moment, making him feel a whole lot worse, before turning to Virgil.

Scott the emergency responder combined with big brother got Virgil off the wall and moving towards the infirmary.

Unfortunately, they needed to pass through the door responsible.

It didn't survive.

Both Scott and Alan jumped as Virgil struck out as they passed through, kicking it off its hinges. One of Grandma's blue vases took the fall for that action along with the door.

Alan decided he was probably welcome elsewhere and vacated the area.

He holed up in his room and peppered John with requests for updates on Virgil's status.

Eventually he calmed down as it was revealed that Virgil was mostly okay. The news his brother had a black eye made Alan wince.

It was the realisation that Virgil was in need of a dentist that terrified Alan out onto the cliff.

Virgil hated dentists.

Alan had no idea why. Virgil refused to talk about it. But the blood on his brother's lips. Alan was the cause for this and seeing him sitting alone out on that rock just hurt.

A bird squawked over on Mateo and set off a bird chain reaction. A cloud of wings rose over the little island making a racket.

Virgil didn't even look up.

Ugh, god, this felt wrong.

He was startled by rockets firing overhead and Alan looked up to see Five's elevator descending. John was on his way down? He was early. He wasn't due until tomorrow.

Another glance at Virgil. Still hadn't moved.

Alan sighed and rising to his feet, began the climb down the side of the villa and down to his upset brother.

-o-o-o-


	5. Chapter 5

Virgil was watching a shark.

It was a big one, about three metres long. Probably one of those Galapagos sharks Gordon kept raving about, but Virgil really didn't have a clue.

The waters around the Island were always crystal clear, and Virgil was always amazed at how deep he could see down. He was quite a way up, but the sun was in just the right position to light up the depths, and down near the hidden entrance to Thunderbird Four's launch bay was the shark.

He tracked its idle movement and drew calm from it.

His heart still wanted to beat itself out of his chest, but he was slowly finding his balance again. It wasn't his usual stability. It was the control he used on rescues. He couldn't afford to panic on the job, so he let his shoulders drop, his mind still and just focussed on himself.

Waves lapped at the base of the cliff.

Birds squawked.

The wind caught his hair and played with it.

Focus.

Calm.

Tackle the problem.

Dentist.

His hackles immediately rose and he snarled at himself. For god's sake, what are you? Two? Get over it. He had faced far worse in his life. Hell, he had stared death in the face more than once.

Yet none of it terrified him more than the thought of sitting in the dentist's chair.

And he had no idea why.

That scared him even more. It was outside his control. Irrational. Refusing to obey logic. The fear came from somewhere deep down inside and it was terrifying.

He had managed to avoid the dentist for most of his life. The excuses, the simple avoidance...

The lies, omissions and obfuscations.

He wasn't one for lying and he hated it, but it had been necessary.

Scott knew of his terror. Maybe John.

Gordon and Alan were oblivious by design.

His father didn't know.

He had spent his life hiding, avoiding and lying his way out of the dentist.

And yet he still didn't know why.

Admittedly, he hadn't made any attempts to find out why. It wasn't like he could ask his parents and Scott didn't know.

And it was embarrassing.

And rare.

So he ignored it.

"Hey, Virgil."

He startled and his foot shifted, knocking a pebble off the cliff.

It took several moments for it to hit the water.

"Ahan! Got'" He shoved a hand to his chest as if he could physically grab his heart and slow it down.

"Sorry!" His little brother jumped backwards. "Didn't mean to scare you."

Virgil's shoulders wilted. This day just kept getting worse. "I' okay." He closed his eyes a moment seeking that calm he had so tentatively found. "Wha' you nee'?

"What do I need? Nothing. I was just worried about you."

He slumped further. "'M okay." Reluctance, but this was Alan. He patted the rock beside him. "'It 'own."

Alan stared at him and edged closer as if he was terrified Virgil was going to rip his head off.

"'M 'orry i 'caret you."

His little brother was still staring at him, but he took up a seat beside him. "I'm sorry, Virgil, I can't understand what you said." Alan's voice was tiny and fearful.

A sigh and his teeth screamed at him. Shit!

"I 'aid 'm 'orry."

"You're sorry?"

Virgil nodded and his face just hurt.

"Was my fault, I'm the one who is sorry." Alan looked up at him, down at the water, back at him and reached out a hand, but pulled back as if he wasn't sure Virgil wanted to be touched.

Aw, hell.

Virgil wrapped an arm about his little brother's shoulders and drew him in close. "Wa' accihen'" He rubbed his brother's arm, and dipped the right side of his head sideways to gently touch Alan's hair. "Nawh, your 'ault."

To his relief, Alan reached back and, wrapping his arms about Virgil's waist, hugged back. "I'm sorry anyway. You got hurt and it was stupid."

"Ill li'e."

His brother just squeezed tighter.

They sat there for quite a while. Far below, the shark wandered off, disappearing into the depths and Virgil resorted to staring at the waves as they swelled and sank.

"So what you doing out here?"

"Nee' oo fink."

"Need to think?"

"Yeah."

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

A pause.

"I don't think I believe you." Alan rose up from their embrace and caught his eyes. "What's wrong, Virgil? Your heart is going a bazillion miles an hour."

Virgil shrugged. He didn't have the speech to explain and to be honest, he didn't want to anyway.

The waves lapped at the cliff.

The crunch of boots on gravel and Scott, John and Gordon appeared behind Alan.

Virgil's heart rate went for the record.

Alan scrabbled around in surprise. "Hey, what are you doing out here? Johnny? You're home early." A frown and a glance between his brothers and Virgil and back. "What's going on?"

Scott's face said everything.

Virgil turned back to the ocean, oh so far below and stared at the beautiful blue water.

Calm.

He closed his eyes.

-o-o-o-


	6. Chapter 6

Scott had done many things in his life he didn't want to. A few of them he regretted, some he wasn't sure they were the right thing, but decisions were decisions and he had to live with the result.

This was likely to require one of those decisions.

"Virgil, you have to come inside. You can't leave yourself like this."

"Nawh."

"Virgil, please."

"Nawh! Naw 'enhist!"

His brother had his back to him, facing the edge of the cliff. Alan sat next to Virgil, eyes wide and bouncing back and forth between his brothers. "Alan, get over here."

"What? Why?"

"Al, can you give me a hand with my 'chair?" Gordon, you're a life saver.

"Oh, sure." With a squeeze of Virgil's arm, Alan clambered to his feet and made his way over to Gordon. The aquanaut made the appropriate fuss to live up to the request for assistance.

That left Virgil alone on the cliff edge.

Scott took a tentative step closer.

Virgil caught the movement and turned, pushing himself to his feet.

Unfortunately, his balance wasn't his best and he wavered, the cliff edge far too close.

"Virgil!"

Scott reached out and grabbed his brother's shoulder and yanked, toppling the man in his direction.

Virgil squawked and went down.

On top of Scott.

Fortunately, many years of Kayo's training had taught Scott how to land correctly. Unfortunately, Virgil weighed a metric tonne and his uncoordinated mass landed on top of Scott.

All the breath in his body fled in a rush.

And a very unmanly squeak.

For a moment his existence narrowed down to getting the next breath into his body.

The weight lifted as his brother rolled off and sweet oxygen flooded his system.

"Sco'?!"

"Scott, are you okay?"

Questions about his health peppered him from all directions. Before he knew it, he was being sat up by both Virgil and John. A few extra breaths and he was pushing himself to his feet. "Virg, you are damned heavy."

Gordon snorted. "Brick shithouse, I told you."

John turned to his little brother hovering beside them. "Gordon, you watch far too much Buddy and Ellie. You're picking up their colloquialisms."

"Their what?"

John rolled his eyes. "The lingo?"

"Aw, yeah, too right." But Gordon was grinning his ass off.

Virgil took the opportunity to attempt to slip away.

"Oh, no you don't." Scott reached out and grabbed his arm again.

"Nawh, Sco'!"

Scott got in his brother's face. "I don't know what is behind all this, but you can't avoid it. It has to be fixed. You're in pain. Hell, I had to make sure you didn't die in your sleep by accidentally inhaling your own teeth! I need to know you are safe!" He stared into his brother's frightened eyes, one swollen almost shut, the other bloodshot and full of tears.

"'Lease, Sco', nawh."

But Virgil flinched suddenly, his one eye going wide. "NAWH!"

Betrayal flashed across his expression for a split second, and then his eye lost focus and he wavered. "Nawh."

Scott caught him as he fell forward, the ache in his heart nothing to do with the hurt in his gut. Virgil's head was limp on his shoulder, but his brother still managed to mumble another 'Nawh."

A hard swallow and Scott blinked several times.

John, empty ampule in hand caught his eyes, his expression sad.

"It was necessary."

Another quiet whimper against his shoulder.

Another blink against that turquoise stare.

"I know."

-o-o-o-


	7. Chapter 7

Gordon hated this.

Seeing his big brother so scared, the necessity of sedation. Scott obviously hated it just as much, if not more, and it had been his decision this time to see if Virgil could be reasoned with.

John had argued against it and John had been right.

So they had followed him out here to do the inevitable.

And it wasn't the first time.

Their line of work had a massive risk of injury and despite all their safety precautions there had been times where Virgil had needed dental work. Twice Scott had managed to arrange it in hospital before his brother woke up. The worst time had been when Virgil had had a concussion, was unable to be sedated and had been barely coherent the entire time. Fortunately, it had been a quick solution to an urgent problem and Virgil didn't remember it.

Gordon did.

It hadn't been pleasant.

He wished he knew why his brother reacted this way.

Scott stood on the cliff, arms wrapped around a barely conscious Virgil slumped against him, quietly whimpering 'nawh' over and over again.

It was a very light sedative. They used it in extreme situations to calm a hysterical rescuee if they were endangering themselves or others. Ironically, it was Virgil who kept and maintained the stock, but they all knew how to use it. Very short term. Hopefully enough to get their brother back to the infirmary.

John handed the empty ampule to Gordon and moved in to assist Scott. Gordon backed up a little, retrieving the necessary hover stretcher.

Alan held it while Scott and John lowered their brother onto the gurney.

And then they moved fast,

Virgil kept muttering 'nawh', head lolling. Sunlight shone off the tight skin of his swollen face.

There was something so wrong and horrible about seeing his big, heavy-lifting brother so vulnerable and scared. Gordon swallowed and concentrated on doing what had to be done.

They got him back the villa and into the infirmary. John prepped the appropriate anaesthesia as Virgil began to return to a distressed consciousness.

"'Lease Sco', nawh, nawh." Over and over again.

Because that was the other factor at play here - Virgil's sensitivity to medication.

After all, that light sedative wasn't supposed to do more than calm a rescuee, and yet it almost always nearly knocked Virgil out. The general anaesthetic John was applying now would have repercussions as well.

And Virgil was going to be pissed.

For some reason his brother thought that Gordon considered his issues with medication were funny. And sure, Gordon did go out of his way to stir his older brother in an attempt to distract him, but really there was nothing funny about it at all.

Though there was the time Virgil had walked into a wall, backed up and then did exactly the same thing again and again, apparently unable to work out why he couldn't walk straight through the brickwork. That had been funny.

Oh, and the time he had spent half a day calling Scott, Scoobie Doobie Doo, complete with sound effects.

But there had been other times where his brother's mind had been caught in places much more unpleasant and there had been tears and fears and restraints.

Gordon dreaded this might be one of those times.

But for the moment, John set up the appropriate IV and finally Virgil was asleep and oblivious.

Doctor Tippy worked fast. She had helped their brother before, after all. She had helped all of them. The fact that Virgil didn't know her was proof their tactics had worked.

Gordon was sure Virgil didn't think he knew about his phobia. Why, he hadn't clued on, Gordon had no idea. After all, his engineer brother had been crap at lying since birth. Didn't take that much to see through it all.

Gordon parked his hover chair in an out of the way corner of the infirmary and sat back to watch. He felt the urge to reach out to his brother, to hold his unconscious hand through this, but Scott had that position and John was hovering anaesthesiologist, so Gordon just sat quietly at a distance.

Alan eventually parked himself next to him.

"I hate this." His brother's voice was quiet.

"Ditto." So dry.

"Why is he so scared? Virgil is so brave, yet this little thing just terrifies him."

"Phobias are not rational."

"But they usually have an ignition point, don't they? What happened to cause this?"

"Dunno. He's been like this as long as I remember. Scott says he doesn't know. I don't know whether to believe him or not."

"What?"

Gordon screwed up his face. "You know Scott and Virgil. Since when have they told us everything?"

"They don't hide anything important, do they?"

"Depends on your definition of 'important'. We'll always be the little ones, Al. We don't make the inner circle. Hell, I swear John only knows what he knows because he eavesdrops or hacks his way to find out what he needs. Scott and Virgil keep their big brother secrets, trust me."

"Really?"

Gordon stared at Alan. "Uh, we do live in the same house, don't we?" How could his little brother be so clueless?

"Well, yeah, I know they don't tell us everything, but they wouldn't lie to us, would they?"

"Al, they do what they think is best for us, including all that implies." His eyes turned back to his prone brother and the dentist working on his teeth. "Hell, we just sedated Virgil against his will, because we thought it was best for him."

"It is!"

"We still ignored what he wanted."

"He's injured, Gordy, and he's not acting rationally."

"Think of that next time Scott bans you from a mission for your own good. Or drags you to the mainland for a doctor's appointment you didn't make."

Alan was staring at him. "I never thought of it that way. But they only do it because they care, because they've been looking after us all our lives."

"Yeah, I know." He scrunched his face up. "I just hate this."

"Yeah, me too."

The conversation dropped into silence and the only sounds in the room were Doctor Tippy's quiet administrations, her requests to John, and their unconscious brother's breathing.

-o-o-o-


	8. Chapter 8

_Possible tissue warning._

-o-o-o-

Scott sat beside his unconscious brother and watched him breathe.

His chest rose quietly, but his breath passed through his padded teeth and caught on his still swollen lip. The resultant sigh was mournful.

Doctor Tippy had fast tracked a crown on Virgil broken tooth and stitched the gum that had been torn. There was swelling and there would be pain and medication.

Scott rubbed his hand over his face.

The scanner had told the tale of the two teeth, but the tear in the gum had been missed amongst all the damage.

God, Virgil, that must have hurt like hell.

But still he had refused the dentist.

His brother sighed a breath in and out.

The IV had been removed and John was stashing the equipment away on the other side of the room. Doc Tippy had left the room, wary of Virgil's reaction should he see her upon awakening.

Neither Scott or John were willing to leave.

Gordon and Alan sat quietly in the corner.

The waiting was ominous.

The next sigh became a groan and Virgil tossed his head.

"Virgil?"

The next groan was almost a word and his brother's eyelids flickered. Scott reached out a hand and touched his fingertips to Virgil's wrist. "Virgil, you awake?"

A slit of brown appeared.

John moved to the other side of the bed, ready for anything.

Eyelids blinked. "Sco'?" The brown widened, if unevenly, one eye still restricted.

"Hey, Virgil."

Another blink. "Wha' 'ahhent?"

"You had an accident with a door. Do you remember?"

Virgil stared at Scott, his response sluggish and slow. "Ahan."

"Yes, Alan, and he is very sorry." Scott's eyes instinctively landed on his little brother on the other side of the room. The guilt that blossomed there was painful.

"Ahan." Another slow blink. "He ohay?"

Alan jumped to his feet and darted around the bed into Virgil's eyeline. "Hey, Virg. I'm cool. It's you we're worried about."

Another blink and this time Virgil's eyes stayed closed a moment before opening into a frown. "Hur'"

"You're hurting?"

"Houht."

"Virg?"

Those eyes closed again and winced. Virgil pulled his hand away from Scott and pointed, uncoordinated at his own face. "Hurrs."

"You've hurt your face, but you'll be okay."

A finger reached towards his mouth and Scott gently took his brother's hand and curled it between both his own. "You're fine, Virg. I promise."

"'Eef."

"Your teeth are fine."

Virgil stared at Scott for a long moment, eyes focussing in and out.

Then, to his brother's astonishment, Virgil burst into tears.

-o-o-o-


	9. Chapter 9

Scott's heart broke.

Virgil was the strong one. The one everyone else went to for calm and reassurance. To see him break down like this...

"Hey, hey, hey, Virgil." He had his brother's hand in one hand and with the other, he reached out to cup his undamaged cheek. A thumb brushed away a tear. Scott swallowed back his own reaction as his fingers crept up the side of his brother's face and slipped through his hair, combing his forelock off his forehead again and again, offering calm and reassurance. "It's okay. It's okay."

A harsh indrawn breath from his left and Scott found Alan with tears in his eyes. Across the room, Gordon was blinking. A glance at John and he found his brother's professional facade firmly in place. So calm, he could almost see the strings holding the man up.

Scott gestured just barely, but his space brother caught the message. A step to Scott's side of the bed and he wrapped his arm around Alan's shoulders.

The youngest brother responded, leaning just a little into John's support, but his eyes didn't leave Virgil.

Virgil said words but they were incomprehensible. Scott just kept up his ministrations, praying they would get through the fog of the medication. His hand held Virgil's ever so tight. "C'mon, Virgil. It's okay. You're okay."

"Nawh. Naw' ohay!" A messy indrawn breath and wet eyes squeezed shut. "Hurss 'eef. Hurss he."

More incomprehensible words followed that. Caught between the drugs and the injury, whatever his brother was desperately trying to say was mangled. The only words clear enough were 'hurss' and 'eef' interspersed with more and more 'nawh'.

The pain in his brother's slurred voice hurt more than anything else.

Alan was leaning further and further into John. Gordon had his face in his good hand.

"Sohhy, hamma."

Scott startled. Grandma?

"Sohhy, hamma, ill he 'rave." And it became apparent that Virgil was lost in a world of his own. "Hurss 'eef. Hurss! Nawh, hamma, nawh, 'lease, hamma, nawh!"

Scott struggled to keep him calm. Curled up on his left side, Virgil was attempting to make himself smaller as if to hide, yet pleading at the same time. Scott clung to his hand and held his brother best he could.

-o-o-o-


	10. Chapter 10

_Mention of intent to harm._

-o-o-o-

John grit his teeth and rode it out. Alan was doing his best to keep it together, but honestly, seeing Virgil like this was hard.

Eventually, Scott's ministrations got through and Virgil fell into a fitful sleep, still muttering a soft 'nawh' every now and again.

"Take them out of here." It was whispered. Scott wanted his brothers out of sight. Typical. Always trying to protect. But John wasn't sure that was a good idea.

"They're worried-"

"I know they're worried!" It was an aggravated hiss and John realised it wasn't only Virgil Scott was trying to protect, but himself. He reached out a hand and briefly touched Scott's shoulder. There was a fine tremble under the cotton of his shirt.

"Okay, Scott."

John held Alan close to him and nudged him towards the door. He didn't want to go, but a soft word set him straight. Gordon followed with an equally soft word.

The moment they were out of earshot, the questions started.

"What the hell happened to him, John? Why is he so scared?" Gordon's eyes were wide, almost frantic.

Alan's voice was higher pitched than usual. "I've never seen Virgil like that. Who did this to him?

John gave them the only answer he had. "I don't know, but I intend to find out." He hit his comms. "Eos, I need you to trace back at least..." He did the calculations in his head. "...twenty-five years. I want all dental records for Virgil Grissom Tracy from that point back to his birth date. I want anomalies, names and dates. I need them as soon as possible."

"Hello, John."

He didn't roll his eyes. "Hello, Eos. Did you get that?"

"Why, yes, however the search has already been completed. I believe the incident you are looking for occurred to Virgil at age four while he was staying with his grandparents at Grand Roca Ranch."

John blinked. "Our grandparents?"

"Maternal grandparents, John. I think the correct nomenclature was Grandma and Grandpa Taylor."

"What did you find?"

"There is a record of a Virgil Tracy of the correct age attending the Perry Dental Centre, a now defunct business in the local population centre. According to the records, the young boy was suffering from a facial injury acquired on the farm the same day."

John frowned. He had no memory of the event. He would have been only one year old at the time. He barely remembered his maternal grandparents as they had passed away when he was four. He only had vague memories of the funeral. The pair had been killed in a car crash on the other side of the country.

"Facial injury? What happened?"

"It is unclear. The records only mention a cut to his forehead and an injury to his teeth. The cut was attended to at the local medical clinic. It appears it is the source of the scar your brother has on his left eyebrow."

"Show me."

The nearest holoprojector lit up and all three brothers narrowed in on it. A very, very young Virgil sporting a fat lip and stitches in his forehead stared out at them. The little boy had tears in his eyes.

"Where was Scott?" It was ridiculous, Scott was only seventeen months older than Virgil, he wouldn't have been able to do anything, but it was an instinctive question.

"Records have Scott Tracy attending an educational institution near the Tracy home at that time. I do not know why Virgil Tracy was isolated at his maternal grandparents."

"How do you know this is the incident that instigated Virgil's phobia?"

"Six months after Virgil's injury, the dentist in charge of this operation was cited for multiple incidents of malpractice with intent to harm."

"What?!"

"Virgil Tracy only attended the practice on one occasion, but following that all dental records pertaining to your brother list a resistance to treatment. Beyond the age of eleven, bar the incidents of dental treatment instigated by Scott Tracy in emergency situations, Virgil Tracy has no record of attending a dentist anywhere."

"What did they do to him?" The words fell from Alan's mouth in a fear-filled, yet angry voice. "What did they do to Virgil?"

"I'm sorry, Alan, I do not have the specifics of the treatment applied, only the medical records which state a tooth was repaired and another was filled. I will forward you the details, John."

"Thank you, Eos." A frown. "How did you know I would need this information?"

"I became aware of your distress. Virgil is one whom I have observed you showing great care. I initiated a historical search on the topic out of curiosity and discovered you had done a similar search several times in the past. The expanse of data required to search is of some difficulty and time expensive. My aptitudes apply well in this area. Your need for these search results was inevitable. I simply pre-empted that need."

A drawn out sigh. "Thank you, Eos."

"You are welcome." A pause. "John?"

"Yes, Eos?"

"Will Virgil be well again in the future?"

"He will, Eos."

"Good, he owes me three processors."

A frown. "What?"

"He bet me that you could finish your last care package burger before the next callout. You didn't, he lost. He owes me three fresh new processors."

Gordon was staring at John. "You let your bro down, John." It was a vague attempt at humour, but Gordon's voice managed to crack halfway through.

"Okay, Eos. You'll get your processors. Can you give me the location of anyone who might have been witness to the appointment at the dental surgery?"

"One moment." Gordon's eyes held anger as the hologram of their young brother flickered in front of them to be replaced by that of a middle-aged man. "The dental assistant on duty that day was Geoffrey Sanders, now aged 85 and living in Pine and Oaks Nursing Home, not far from the Grand Roca Ranch."

"Prep Tracy Two." It was the cold voice of their eldest brother. John spun to find him in front of the infirmary door. The expression on his face made it abundantly clear he had heard everything. "I want Doctor Tippy with me. We will find out what they did to our brother."

-o-o-o-


	11. Chapter 11

Time passed for Virgil. Mangled, doubled and incoherent time.

Grandma was there, but she wasn't the grandmother he knew. Scott was always there, but sometimes he was John.

Allie, Gordo, Kay...they were all faces caught by the wind and blown away only to be replaced by dark shadows and pain.

His face hurt and at some point he realised that medication was the source of his confusion. Sometimes there was a hand in his hair. At other times his hands were taken and held, sometimes softly, sometimes fighting him, holding him back, preventing him from striking out at the figure who wanted to hurt him.

And sometimes there was quiet murmuring of comforting voices, that hand in his hair, just stroking, and the fear would be replaced with safety.

Eventually, that safety became dominant and he could rest.

-o-o-o-

"Viiiiiiiir-gil!"

"Viiiiiiir-gil!"

"Gordon!" His brother's name was a hissed whisper. "Shut that bird up."

"Trying!" It was an equally whispered desperate word. "But he won't come."

"Then shut the damn window. Now I can see why Virgil wanted to kill you." Scott's voice managed to be both furious and fond. It was a skill that amazed Virgil. His own anger at Gordon for teaching a tame tui to say his name over and over again just to irritate him had been much more simplistic and volatile.

"Viiiiiir-gil!" A window latched and the bird's voice was mostly dulled by the excellent soundproofing of the villa.

Virgil relaxed, sinking into the bed. Tui were native to the Island's patches of forest and quite a handsome if noisy honeyeater. Gordon was just a dick.

With the absence of irritation, Virgil let sleep take him once again.

-o-o-o-

Someone was holding his hand. Soft fingers brushed away the hair on his forehead.

He frowned.

"Virgil?"

He groaned, maybe.

"Virgil, you with me?" A finger touched his cheek.

His cheek.

His eyes flew open and he gasped in a breath. "Teef!"

Those hands moved to his shoulders. "Hey, hey, you're okay. It's all over. You're safe." Blue eyes caught his and hammered the safety home. "You're safe. I promise."

Virgil drew everything from those eyes as they held him, narrowing just slightly.

A tense moment, every muscle ready to spring.

Scott's fingers squeezed a shoulder and Virgil let it all go. The tension exhaled in an exhausted breath and his body melted back into the bed. "God."

"You with me?" The hands on his shoulders moved to his arms, rubbing gently.

A blink and Virgil refocussed on his brother. A frown. "You 'kay?" His voice was parched and he coughed, but the resultant smile that blossomed on Scott's worried face was worth it.

"I'm good."

Virgil didn't believe him. "You look like 'hit."

A hand appeared from nowhere holding a cup with a straw in it. "Yeah, well, big bro had to go kick some ass and he hasn't slept, so yeah, Scott, I'm with Virg on this, you look bad."

"Alan!"

"What?!"

Virgil only had eyes for the cup of water that was being paraded in front of him as his brothers had words. "Guys?" His throat was so dry.

"What? Oh, sorry, Virg." The cup was lowered and Virgil reached out to grab it, but instead found the bed rising as Scott hit the controls. A bit of floundering eventually found the straw in his mouth and sweet, sweet water in his throat. Oh god, that was good.

The movement revealed a few facts however.

The first was that there was an IV in his right hand and he was in the infirmary. This last should have been obvious considering the bed, but his thought processes were a bit sluggish.

The second was that all his brothers were in the room.

And all of them looked like shit.

"What happened?"

There was silence in answer to that.

But as with all silences, Gordon was the one who broke it. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." It was automatic, but it also forced him to self assess.

His face hurt.

His teeth hurt.

He brought a hand to his mouth. Scott's eyes widened and he reached out as if to pull Virgil's hand away, but then changed his mind. His hand hovered a second before settling on the bed covers, tight with tension.

Virgil's fingers felt the remains of swelling on his lips, his cheek his eye. His mouth hurt. Memories surfaced wrapped in fear.

His eyes landed on Scott.

"You drugged me." His heart fell through the floor. "You knocked me out."

-o-o-o-


	12. Chapter 12

"You knocked me out."

Virgil stared up at his brother. Scott's head dipped a little, looking down at the bed, before once again facing his brother, blue eyes ever so sad. "I did."

"Technically, I did." John straightened from where he was leaning against the supply cabinets.

Virgil darted a glance his copper-haired brother's direction. There were bags under his eyes. "But it was 'one on his or'ers." And he turned back to his eldest brother, whose eyes had once again dropped to the bedsheets. "Wasn' it."

"Yes, it was."

"Why?"

All he could remember was the sharp stab of the needle and the sadness in Scott's eyes. The same sadness now silently begging for forgiveness.

"It was necessary."

"Why?"

"You were in pain."

"I 'as managing it."

"You were bleeding and you refused treatment."

"It 'as my right!" The thought that his brothers might wrestle him into a dentist's chair sometime in the future terrified him.

"It is my job to keep you safe!"

"Hey, guys..." Alan reached towards Virgil.

"It was my 'ecision!"

"Guys..."

"So, you would have me watch one of my brothers suffering simply because he was too terrified to get the correct treatment?"

"I 'as managing it!"

"GUYS!"

Virgil jumped, as did Scott and they both turned to face a wild-eyed Alan, John behind him, hand on his arm.

"Can we please not do this?" Virgil's eyes widened as he realised just how stressed his little brother was. The infirmary lights were wet stars in his eyes. "It sucked, okay? Scott did what he thought was right. Yes, it was scary as shit, but Virg..." His little brother swallowed and his words came out in a rush. "You were hurting so much and so scared. I've never seen you like that before."

Oh, hell.

Virgil raised his arm, IV trailing from it. "C'mere, Allie."

His brother hesitated only a moment before crawling onto the bed and wrapping his arms around Virgil. "I'm sorry."

Virgil let his arm drop around his little brother. "It 'as an acci'ent. Not your fault."

"I'm sorry anyway."

Virgil's eyes sought Scott's again only to find that same apology in their blue. Behind him, Gordon appeared miserable, and, now a step closer to the bed, John was frowning enough to almost part his hair.

Virgil ran gentle circles with his fingers on Alan's arm and turned back to face Scott. "'Hat aren't you telling me?" A frown. "'hat 'id I do this time? 'ance the polka? Propose to a tree?" Damn medication always screwed with him. His eyes narrowed on Gordon. "'id you take vi'eo?"

"No." It was so solemn, it was chilling. Gordon's eyes were tragic. "I didn't take video."

"'Hat the hell is going on?"

"Nothing." And Scott lied directly to his face.

"You're lying."

A desperate sigh. "Now is not the time, Virgil. You need to rest-"

"I need to know 'hat is going on!"

"Not now!"

"So you're making the 'ecision for me again? In my best interests?"

"Oh, for the love of-"

"BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT UP!" Gordon was looming over the end of the bed, his hoverchair empty behind him, anger vibrating his frame. The whole room focussed on his little brother, but he looked down at Virgil's feet a moment before again catching his eyes. "This has been...hell." The word came out painful and Virgil's chest tightened. "Virg...you didn't see..." Gordon looked away. "Scott did what he had to do. Forgive him or not, I'm glad he did. I'm glad you are awake and feeling better. I understand why you are upset. Just...give it time, okay?"

Virgil stared, horrified that Gordon had been pushed to this point. What the hell had happened? What didn't he know? Fear crept into his gut and he swallowed hard. "Okay."

"Please trust us." Gordon reached down and gripped Virgil's foot through the bedclothes. "Please."

"Okay."

A strained smile and his aquanaut brother backed up and threw himself into his 'chair, and tore out of the room. A glance at Virgil, and John hurried to follow him.

Virgil stared at the empty doorway. What the hell was going on?

Alan's arms tightened around him again.

Scott's eyes leaked pain.

"Scott?"

His brother sighed shakily. "You had a bad reaction to the medication, that's all you need to know right now."

"Okay."

"That and I am sorry I had to sedate you."

A blink. "You 'id what you thought best."

"Yes, I did."

"It's okay, Virgil, you're going to get better now." Alan sat up and managed a small smile.

"Yeah, I am."

"Good."

But there was something in Scott's eyes and it terrified him.

-o-o-o-


	13. Chapter 13

Virgil was edgy for the rest of the day, watching his brothers at first wander to and fro from the infirmary, then, once he had escaped that horrible room, watching them moon about the house. They eyed him as if he was explosive or fragile or worse.

The tableau was broken mid-afternoon when Eos called Scott out to rescue a crane driver from a collapsing high-rise. The annoying thing was that it was more a job for Virgil and Two than Scott and One, but his brother took it anyway, his blue glare pinning Virgil to the sofa cushions.

After that there was one less brother mooning about the house avoiding Virgil.

At one point he approached John who, oddly, had yet to announce his return to Five, and attempted to get some answers out of him.

A hand landed on his shoulder and Virgil's eyes widened at the sad expression on his younger brother's face. "You'll need to wait for Scott on this one, Virgil."

"What is going on? You all look as if someone has died." His eyes widened at John's subtle flinch. "What aren't you telling me?!"

John's other hand landed on Virgil's other shoulder and his space brother looked down at him, his expression ever so honest and sincere. "No one has died, Virgil. We just found out that someone we know and love has been hurt."

"Who?!" Faces raced through his mind.

"Virgil, please wait for Scott."

"Why?"

"Just...trust us."

Virgil bit back an expletive as John squeezed his shoulders. What the hell was going on?

"John..."

"Wait for Scott."

Wait for Scott. He grit his teeth to hold back his response.

He hid in his room for an hour, then fell asleep.

He awoke to find Alan perched on the end of his bed playing a computer game. "Alan."

"Hey, Virgil. Hold a sec, I just gotta..." The game console let off a series of squawks and Alan swore. "So close!"

Virgil stared at him a moment, but when Alan's attention didn't return to him, he pushed off the covers and climbed out of bed. A trip to the bathroom and he encountered himself in the mirror.

The swelling was finally going down. He could see straight. His right eye was still bloodshot and the skin around it a rainbow of colours, but he could see. His mouth still hurt like crazy, but there had been no brothers sporting medication to alleviate the irritation which was odd in itself.

What were they waiting for?

He frowned and regretted it as it set off a throb in his eye that threatened to progress into a headache.

"Virgil, you okay in there?"

So, Alan was hovering. No doubt still feeling guilty and worried about him. "Alan, I'm fine." And honestly, he was. Achy, yes, but his head was finally clear from the medication fog, his balance was fine, he could even speak okay.

He washed his face gently and patted it dry before returning to his room.

Alan's eyes were on him the moment he walked in.

"I'm fine, Alan, I promise."

Alan guiltily returned to his console. "Sorry, just making sure."

A sigh and Virgil sat down beside him. "What is it? Is it this thing you guys refuse to talk to me about?"

Alan dropped his arms into his lap, fingering his game console. "It sucks."

Perhaps it did, if Virgil knew what they were talking about. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Can't. Not until you're better."

"I am better."

"I-" Alan cut himself off and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Virgil, I..." Blue eyes caught his and widened, staring. Tears welled suddenly and anger flashed. Alan bit his lip hard and spat out a string of profanity of the likes he had never heard from his little brother.

"Alan!"

"He is so lucky he's dead." A blink and Alan appeared to realise what he had said. "I...I'm sorry, Virg, I'm...aw, hell." And his little brother was up and out the door before Virgil could grab him.

What?!

Virgil pushed himself off the bed and out the door, but Alan was gone.

What the hell was going on?!

As if to answer his question, the distant roar of rocket engines became immediate and the building echoed through its soundproofing as Thunderbird One lowered herself into her bay below the pool. Virgil couldn't see her, but he knew the process like his own breathing. He made his way through the house and down to the comms room, knowing that would be where his brother would gravitate.

He found Gordon sitting at their father's desk in his hoverchair. His father's chair had been spun off to one side. Whatever he was doing, he was very focussed. Virgil was able to make his way around the lounge and step up to the desk. Gordon was staring at a document floating above the desktop and poking it with a stylus.

"Hey, Gordon."

His brother physically jumped and the stylus went flying. The document disappeared as Gordon hurriedly swiped it away. "Oh, hey, Virg. You're awake."

If that wasn't a guilty look then Virgil knew nothing about his brother. "Yes, Gordon, I'm awake. And before you ask, yes, I'm feeling better, thank you." He eyed the aquanaut as he struggled to compose himself. "A better question might be, are you okay?"

Gordon looked away and Virgil found himself reaching out, his hand landing on his brother's shoulders. "What is it?"

Bloodshot russet-brown eyes looked up at him. "Have you ever questioned Dad's belief that everyone is worth saving?"

Okay, random. "Uh, no, why?"

Gordon looked down at the desk again. "Because he is wrong. There are people on this planet who do things that cancel out that right."

Virgil swallowed. "It is not our place to judge who is worth saving, Gordon."

"I know. It's just..." He looked up again. "Some people are just assholes who don't deserve the privilege of life."

Virgil grabbed their father's chair and sat down beside his brother. There were many things he could say. He could argue, make a point, but the despair in Gordon's eyes was just painful. "Will you tell me what is going on?"

Gordon's eyes widened before looking down at his lap. "We need to wait for Scott."

Wait for Scott. "Why?" It came out frustrated.

"Because you'll need him."

The words sucked all the heat out of the room and his bones chilled. "Why?"

"Gordon!" Scott entered the room, still dressed in his uniform, the sleeve torn and bloodied.

Virgil shot to his feet and hurried over. "Scott, what the hell. Why didn't you report an injury?"

Scott rolled his eyes. "It's nothing-"

"Gordon, grab a first aid kit, and then find John. Why didn't John pick up on this?"

Scott slapped his fingers away. "Because it is nothing, that's why. Uniform got caught on a piece of metal as I fell and it tore. Scratched me up a little. The better question would be, how are you?"

"You fell?! How far? Do you have any other injuries?" He stepped back a little and tracked his eyes over his brother. Nothing appeared out of order bar a few scuffs on his scuff pads.

"Virgil, for crying out loud. I fell, yes, but I caught myself with my grapple gun, I am fine."

"I'll be the judge of that. Now sit down and let me have a look."

"Virgil-"

"I said sit down." Calm, direct and as commanding as any Tracy brother.

The first aid kit appeared at Virgil's elbow. He dug out the laser scalpel and began removing Scott's sleeve as Gordon called over comms to summon John.

His big brother sighed and surrendered.

Once the sleeve had been removed, it appeared that yes, he was overreacting just a little, but he didn't care. Virgil preferred it that way. With a glare at his brother who by this time was smirking at him, he swabbed the wound clean and tapped it up with a couple of butterfly bandages. A protective dressing and he was satisfied that Scott wasn't about to bleed to death on him.

"Happy now?" The pilot actually had the nerve to smirk at him.

"As happy as I can be when a brother has a hole in him, I guess." He squeezed a uniform clad forearm absently as he began to tidy up the mess he had made.

"Virg, do you forgive me?" It was whispered, barely breath, but Virgil heard it. He looked up into pleading blue eyes.

A swallow. "Of course." But he looked away, still processing the implications.

"Can you at least understand why I did it?"

A slow nod as he closed the lid of the first aid kit.

Scott grabbed his upper arm and squeezed. "Virgil-"

"I trust you, Scott." But he wasn't willing to discuss it just yet. "Get yourself cleaned up and meet me back here." He caught those blue eyes again. "We have to talk."

-o-o-o-


	14. Chapter 14

_Okay, __**warnings for child abuse and nasty dentistry in this bit.**__ I haven't gone into great detail, but if you think this could be upsetting to you, please don't read._

-o-o-o-

Scott felt nothing but dread.

A quick trip to the showers, clothing and a word to John and he returned to the comms room like an executioner going to a beheading.

John, by his side, squeezed his shoulder.

To his surprise Virgil had relocated out onto the balcony. The sun was setting behind them and presenting a glorious pink sky over the ocean. The soft sounds of approaching night and the cool breeze calmed his hackles just a little. Virgil had moved a couple of loungers out onto the balcony. When he looked up and saw John, he stood up and grabbed another one.

A small table was full of food and Scott vaguely realised it was actually dinner time.

Gordon and Alan were conspicuously absent.

"Scott, John, have a seat. I've raided the pantry. Gordon and Alan are having a video game tournament in Alan's room." It was said with the scoff that made it obvious that Virgil knew they were missing for a reason. "Sit down and eat something."

Scott was anything but hungry, but he did as his brother asked anyway, grabbing a slice of bread and throwing some ham, cheese and a little mustard on it.

He watched Virgil as his brother sat down with a bowl of lukewarm soup. "Where did you get that?"

"Out of a can."

Scott made a mental note to put together some more edible soft foods for the next few days.

John grabbed three beers out of the cooler stashed beside the table and handed one to each of them. Scott popped the cap and swigged a good mouthful. The cool bubbles on the back of his throat were wonderful.

But he was delaying the inevitable.

Virgil was gingerly scooping soup into his mouth. The occasional wince proof that it was anything but comfortable.

Brown eyes flickered in his direction and frowned. "Eat your dinner, Scott."

He didn't answer, but shoved his sandwich in his mouth and chewed.

It was tasteless.

With half a bowl of soup left, Virgil winced one last time and put the bowl down and closed his eyes.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just need to take it slow. Not my first mouth injury."

No, it wasn't. Scott's heart clenched.

The sandwich slapped on the plate and was discarded on the table. A glance at John and Scott realised his younger brother hadn't even bothered to put any food together and was just sucking on his beer bottle.

They were a sad trio.

"So, you going to tell me what has all of you so riled up?" Virgil stood up and put some covers over the food.

A gull screeched in the distance.

The breeze danced across Scott's arms and raised goose pimples.

Virgil sat down on the edge of his lounger and turned to face him. "Please tell me. I can't bear to see the fear in your eyes any longer."

His heart leapt into his throat. He sat up and mirrored Virgil's position, sitting on the edge of his lounger. John, silent as ever, slipped around and sat next to Virgil, his presence reassuring.

And insurance.

Scott swallowed. "Do you remember Grandma Taylor?"

Virgil blinked as if surprised. "Sure. How could I forget? She had a blue mohawk. Kinda unforgettable."

The thinnest of smiles curled the corners of Scott's lips. "Yeah, she was." The ultimate source of Virgil's artistic streak and entirely to blame for the horrible neo-punk era of Virgil's early teens. She influenced from beyond the grave to the point Scott thought his brother might be haunted by her.

"What about her?"

The smile disappeared.

"Do you remember how you got your eyebrow scar?"

Virgil blinked. "Yeah, helping Grandpa Taylor with his vintage car. Tripped over and encountered his toolbox. Nearly took out my eye on the latch."

"Did you hurt anything else?"

-o-o-o-

Virgil stared at Scott. The incident itself was pretty clear in his mind because of the scar he had to look at every morning in the mirror. He could remember the old car with its ancient canvas canopy and the wiggly windows he could barely reach. It had been a green car, but for the life of him, he had no idea what make or model. He couldn't remember seeing it again after that incident. Which was odd since Grandpa Taylor had been so enamoured with it.

'Helping' was a far too generous word for what Virgil had actually been doing. Wandering around the car, poking his fingers into things that four-year-old fingers probably shouldn't have been poking in. He remembered Grandpa lifting him into the driver's seat and for a few brilliant moments he had been the driver of the stationary vehicle.

Why he had been running was forgotten, but the sudden airborne feeling and loss of control followed by a blast of pain...he remembered that.

His mouth twinged and he realised he was gritting his teeth. "No, just my head." He fingered the scar on his left eyebrow. "Hurt like the bejesus."

"You had stitches."

"Yeah."

"Are you sure you didn't hurt anything else?"

A frown. "I don't think so. Had a headache for days afterwards though."

Scott looked awful.

"What is it?"

His brother looked away a moment as if steeling himself before catching his eyes. "You say you don't know why you are afraid of the dentist."

Virgil straightened, immediately tense. "No, I don't know why. It's a phobia, Scott, it doesn't need a reason. It is not logical, but no less terrifying."

Scott held up a hand. "Hey, you know I respect that. If there had been any other way, I would have taken it."

Lips thinning, Virgil didn't comment on that. Too raw.

"But I think we found a reason."

"What?"

Scott swallowed visibly. "After you got your stitches, Grandma Taylor took you to the dentist."

A blink. "No, she didn't."

"Eos found the records."

"I had a bad reaction to the local anaesthetic they gave me for the stitches. You know how I react to drugs. Grandma took me home and I slept it off." He'd been stuck in his bedroom at Grand Roca for days, his face aching, his mouth sore...

"No."

Scott hand wrapped around his arm. "The records say that you attended the dentist and had a filling and a tooth repair."

"I don't have any fillings." Okay, technically not true anymore, thanks to the crown installed yesterday.

"They were in your baby teeth." Scott's fingers tightened just a little as John handed him a tablet with a photograph on it. "Do you remember this man?"

Virgil's eyes landed on a middle aged, balding, smiling face.

And he was stumbling backwards, tripping over the lounger he had been sitting on, scrabbling to get purchase and get out of there. Hands caught him and for a second he was there, strapped in a chair, bright light glaring into his eyes, that smooth voice sickly sweet and encouraging each time he cried out.

"Virgil!"

Scott. His beloved big brother was holding him. He was sprawled on the hardwood floor. His brother's heart pounded in his ear as Virgil slowly wilted against him. "Who was that?" He squeezed his eyes shut, confused at his reaction, the terror, and the question of why.

John curled up and sat in front of the two of them. "He was the dentist."

"What did he do to me?" It came out high pitched and fear-filled.

Scott's arms tightened around him as he answered. "We don't know." This time he felt his brother swallow. "Six months after your visit, a five-year-old boy died in that chair and Dr Leonard Bornstein was found responsible."

"Leo. Doctor Leo." It came out so dry and parched it hurt his throat. He could see the smile now, above him as he cried. "What did he do?"

Those arms tightened around him again. "He was a sadist. He tortured children and he was in the perfect position to do so. When questioned he blamed it on childhood fears and misbehaviour."

"Grandma didn't believe me." It came out in a rush, memories stabbing at him. "I was too sensitive. Needed to toughen up." Oh god. He squeezed his eyes shut at the betrayal, self-doubt and shame. "Let me up. I need to get up."

Scott's arms loosened around him and Virgil struggled to his feet. Both his brothers stood, both obviously worried about him and staring at him like he was a fragile explosive about to go off in their faces. He straightened forcing some strength into his spine. He was no longer a kid. "Alan said he died?"

John spoke up. "Several years ago, in a psychiatric prison."

"Why were we never contacted about this?"

"There was no court case, the diagnosis was enough. He pleaded guilty and disappeared into the system."

"A child died." In that chair, with the drill, its high-pitched whine humming in his bones, touching down on his teeth, his gum, the taste of blood in his mouth, fat fingers prodding at the back of his throat prompting him to gag...

His stomach rolled and his body complied, his sparse dinner making a return trip. He barely made it to a potted plant before losing it all.

Acid burned in the back of his throat as he tried to choke on himself.

A hand rubbed his back as a glass of water and a box of tissues appeared beside him. His already sore teeth screamed blue murder and he took the water gratefully, washing his mouth with its coolness. The headache that had threatened earlier in the day took advantage and settled in, the left side of his head pounding to the beat of his heart.

The hand continued to rub his back.

"God, this sucks."

"Yeah, it does. I'm so sorry."

"Well, at least I have a reason."

Scott drew him close, wrapping his arms around him again, a large hand holding his head to his big brother's shoulder. "Yeah, you have one hell of a reason."

-o-o-o-


	15. Chapter 15

_And here it is, I actually finished something, yay! I hope it measures up to your expectations :D Many thanks to onereyofstarlight for helping me out with character actions and a partway read through :D_

_I should also acknowledge the complete lack of Kayo, Grandma and Brains in this fic. I kinda ignored them, sorry. I wanted to focus on the boys :D_

-o-o-o-

John Tracy was generally a calm man, but watching his big brother fall apart at the mere sight of this asshole was enough to fuel a rage burning so brightly it took out the sun.

And the worst of it? He could do nothing. All those responsible were dead. His parents weren't here to ask why this hadn't been followed up at the time. His maternal grandparents were long gone. The dentist himself, may he rot in hell, was hopefully doing exactly that. The one last remaining life to ask was taken from them by the onset of dementia.

John had stayed behind to keep an eye on Virgil while Scott flew to the nursing home. The nurse was there for a very good reason and no longer knew his own name, much less remembered a little four-year-old from quarter of a century ago.

So they were left with so few answers, no option for retribution, and a brother forever scarred by a dentist who got his jollies from children's pain.

He had already chased down some experts who might be able to help Virgil. Ultimately it was up to his brother, but he was here and ready if he was needed.

Which led his thoughts to exactly this moment. Scott had Virgil in his arms, just holding him. There were no tears. If John was to assess Virgil's condition, it would be closer to emotional exhaustion than grief. Perhaps there was relief in finally knowing the cause.

John felt mostly violation and rage.

But this wasn't about John. This was about Virgil and helping him the best he could. But with Scott providing the comfort, John felt like a fifth wheel.

Scott had requested his presence in this discussion specifically for back up. It was unusual for him to be included is such a big brother moment, simply because the two eldest usually worked things out between them, except on the rare occasion they exploded at each other and John had to drop down from orbit to kick their asses.

But this kind of thing, this emotional support, was a Scott and Virgil exclusivity. John corralled the two youngest and monitored and listened to them. Scott and Virgil were older and regardless of them all being adults, it was a pecking order that had been maintained for years.

The fact Scott had asked for his help was a sign of the seriousness, the fear in this situation and the worry he had for Virgil.

But now he was stuck, unable to do anything.

A pair of brown eyes were staring at him.

Virgil straightened, separating himself from Scott, and John knew he had been discovered. Virgil, despite whatever was going on, always had a radar running on his younger brothers and could pick up their emotional state from miles off.

Literally, Virgil could read him in space.

"John?" The 'are you okay' was a redundant question. None of them were okay.

"I'm sorry, Virgil."

Those hollow eyes frowned. "For what? Not your fault." And the direction of comfort flipped. Virgil closed the distance between them, his stocky brother reaching up to put his hands on John's shoulders for a moment, before pulling him into a hug. "I'll be fine."

The simple words knotted a lump in John's throat and he found himself blinking. Sad blue eyes caught his and he drew strength from them.

His arms tightened around Virgil.

-o-o-o-

Gordon and Alan didn't end up playing any games. Neither felt inclined in the slightest. Instead they sat together on Alan's bed and stared at the ceiling.

"You think they've told him yet?" Alan's voice was small and fearful, reminiscent of the little boy who used to climb into his bed at night in the thunderstorms.

"Maybe." The light outside was dimming. It was past dinner but Gordon didn't feel like eating and Alan hadn't mentioned it either.

"How do you think he will react?"

It was a stupid question, but Gordon understood Alan's need to ask it. "Virgil is the strongest of us. He'll be fine." He said the words, but he wasn't sure he believed them. To discover such a horrible violation in his past...Gordon grit his teeth.

"Why would someone do something like that?"

There was profanity in his preferred answer. "The man was mentally ill, who knows what he was thinking."

"The thought of being a kid and trapped in that chair-"

"Alan, try not to think of it that way."

"Why not? It is what Virgil had to go through; shouldn't we acknowledge it at least?"

"I have acknowledged it." It was why he currently felt like tearing something to shreds. "But putting yourself through thoughts like that benefits no one."

"It helps to understand what Virgil is going through."

"What is there to understand? Our brother was violated and tortured when he was very little. It scarred him for life. The bastard who did it is dead and I can't do anything to fix it."

Alan shifted on the bed beside him, rolling over to face Gordon. A hand landed on his arm. Alan didn't say anything, just stared at him with those baby blue eyes. A moment and his little brother lay his head on Gordon's shoulder and curled up beside him. "I'm sorry, Gords."

Gordon let out a shaky sigh and wrapped an arm around his little brother. "I know."

-o-o-o-

It was strange learning about something that happened to you so long ago. Even stranger discovering that you had been violated in such a way.

His mind edged away from the memories. They were becoming clearer as the experience was uncovered moment by moment. How he had forgotten it all, he didn't know. Part of him wished he had never remembered, but he understood why Scott had told him. He had needed to know.

But god...

This was hard.

So, he disassociated. Stepped back. Let it happen to somebody else. Put up a protective shield between himself and his experiences.

Watched it through a lens.

Scott eyed him warily as they packed up the table and took it inside.

"Virg?"

"Huh?" The table caught and refused to slide into storage smoothly. A shove and something snapped. Damn.

A hand landed on his shoulder.

"I'm fine."

"We both know that is not true." He found himself in a one-armed hug and he didn't know whether to feel grateful or frustrated, so ended up feeling both.

"Yeah, well, call it a work in progress."

"Wanna watcha movie with us?"

His instinctive response was a firm no. But what else was he going to do? Hole up in his room and let the memories take over? The mere thought of that made him shiver.

"Yeah, sure."

"Should we invite Gordon and Alan?" Scott's voice was quiet, giving him an out if he needed it.

"Sure." He said it before his brain could come up with why he should be hiding from his little brothers. But then he remembered the fear in Allie's eyes and wanted nothing more than to extinguish it.

So, he found himself seated on the lounge when Alan dashed into the room. Wordlessly, his little brother jumped the sofa and flew into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Virgil. So sorry."

Virgil held Alan tight and found himself blinking away tears. "Not your fault, Allie. Not your fault."

Gordon hovered his way down into the lounge and gently kicked Virgil's leg. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. His expression spoke of the worry and the anger and the frustration. Virgil frowned. Gordon couldn't use the pool at the moment. He glanced at Scott and found his big brother frowning with likely a similar thought. Virgil would have to make sure they found a way to help Gordon vent his frustrations. The aquanaut could get volatile.

Alan climbed off Virgil eventually and curled up beside him. John found a movie, one with ridiculous space aliens made out of plasticine. Scott made popcorn and a family evening fell upon them for a couple of hours.

It was the best they could do. A lot of their laughter was forced and there was a lack of brotherly chattering and popcorn throwing, but they were together.

Virgil let himself sink into the sofa, each muscle mentally releasing from its clench. He found himself exhausted. His head was still pounding, but he didn't want to risk any medication. Alan stayed curled up at his side the entire time. Gordon had clambered out of his chair and onto the lounge on Virgil's other side and Virgil found himself sliding in his direction. The aquanaut didn't seem to mind.

John sat next to Alan, his eyes tracking over all his brothers monitoring like the beloved monitor he was.

Scott sat on the floor between Virgil and Gordon.

Virgil stared at the top of his brother's dark auburn crown, the flecks of grey and red dominated by deep brown. He reached out and touched Scott's hair. It was soft from the shower earlier, lacking its more familiar product. As Scott turned to look up at him, a strand fell into his eyes. "Virg?"

"You're going grey."

At any other time, his brother would have shot off a barb of a response to such an accusation, but not tonight. "Yeah?" Blue eyes frowned a little worriedly at him as one alien shot another on the screen behind.

Virgil reached out and brushed the strand from his brother's eyes. "Thank you." It was whispered.

He felt every eye on him and the tear that tracked down his cheek was honesty itself.

Scott turned around and knelt before him, grabbing his hand. "You know you've always got us, Virgil. You know that, don't you?"

And despite everything, he found himself caught up in fondness despite the tears. His hand tightened around his big brother's fingers while Alan snuggled into one side and Gordon the other. A cool hand touched the nape of his neck and he glanced up to find John wrapped around Alan, reaching out to touch him.

His eyes turned back to Scott and managed a fragile smile. His voice was broken by exhaustion as yet another silent tear ran down his cheek. "I know."

"I know."

-o-o-o-

FIN.


End file.
